Golden Phoenix — Restaurant in Oklahoma City

This is a long review. The gist is that you should eat here bc the food is fresh and excellent. I recommend the beef dishes overall (especially the orange beef). Nothing is ever greasy. EVERYTHING IS PREPARED TO ORDER.

I honestly don't understand how anyone has had a bad experience here. I've been dedicated to this place for about 3 years, now (after it burned down and was rebuilt; quite literally rising from the ashes). I've dined in many times (in parties ranging from 2 to 20), but I mostly take food to go bc I work in a restaurant downtown & prefer to spend my time off at home. I've converted many friends/family members that were loyal to other places into Phoenix fans, and tons of people I know from restaurants love this place (an excellent sign). They always remember me and what I like to order and have happily accommodated the occasional special request. The guy at the counter is the sweetest ever, so the fuddy duddies who don't like him can kick rocks.

Do yourself a favor and stick with the beef dishes from the menu or the dishes that include the roasted pork or duck that they keep in the case by the register. Other items from the menu are good as well, but these are the areas in which they shine. The cubed filet in garlic butter sauce is worth the extra price every time. The orange beef is the best I've ever had, PERIOD.

I'd also recommend the fresh shrimp rolls with peanut sauce. I'm super picky and they make the best ones in OKC (they use the thinnest rice paper so it's not chewy, but they hold together properly; the lettuce and herbs are always crisp; there's a crispy center made from tightly rolled eggroll wrapping that is a GENIUS move; the shrimp is always freshly prepared to order- no one else does these last 2 things & it shows). If not the shrimp rolls, fried dumplings (pork filling) are a wonderful choice as an appetizer (so crispy and never chewy).

This place is always busy and with good reason, but nothing ever takes too long to arrive. Even when I've had a mistake with my meal- a rarity- there were quick to fix it and/or compensate for it.

I wish I could give this place a bajillion...

I asked the server what to get between the roasted duck and pork vs the fried scallops vs the make your own roll …..and he suggested the roasted duck and pork. I found the wait staff very personable and multiple people did things for me, like water or dim sum or extra napkins , they didn’t, like, make me wait for the waiter to come back so it’s a team effort so feel free to engage other servers . I am reasonably good at chop sticks but holding the duck firmly enough to bite around the bones was a challenge —and what looked like baby bok choy was delicious but also had a hard time holding it firmly enough with the chopsticks to tear off a bite . They give you forks but of course no knives so be ready for that. And my viet co worker says all the duck has bones they just chop it where it comes so you get what you get . So gringos be warned it isn’t duck BREAST or something . The pork was delightful ! I thought it needed some flavor though but the chili oil jar left for me on the table was just what I needed. There was a cup of ice on the table and I didn’t know what that was for . I’ll have to ask! I also was surprised that everyone had passable English , which was a nice bonus . I guess the owners were from China but raised in Vietnam so it’s an amalgum of Chinese and Vietnamese food and culture . The dim sum I got was the shrimp and pork dumpling and it was very mild (better with chili sauce ) and delicious. I was afraid that would be terribly expensive but I got a good portion of pork and duck plus 3 dumplings with shrimp (big ones) for 17 bucks , which honestly I could have just eaten the 3 dumplings and be full.

Takeaway: trust the server suggestions but be ready for bones in your duck.

Thanks GPhoenix for a great lunchtime experience I’ll be back for the hot pot ! I left my phone so I don’t have pics but I had plenty to take home so that 17 bucks crossed over for 2 meals .

Oh, and the server may never bring you the tab . I had my dim sum tab but the waiter held my ticket at the counter where you pay so just head up there if you don’t get your...

It's been a while since I've eaten here unfortunately, because I've been forced to eat at other Vietnamese restaurants due to locale until very recently. I was leaving a review about another restaurant called Hy Asian Bistro which is... simply horrible in every way and used THIS place as a frame of reference and thought... you know? I've never left a positive review for Golden Phoenix and I really love the food here, it's literally the standard by which all other Vietnamese restaurants should be measured. I've tried almost every dish on the menu and learned a lot about the Vietnamese palette by trying something new as often as possible from the menu... some of it isn't necessarily my favorite dish... but I have no doubt that it's prepared well and should you like that particular dish... you're at least getting the best version of it. On the other hand, the dishes that I enjoy, I enjoy THOROUGHLY because of the amazing detail and talent these chefs possess. The broth... oh my goodness the broth. I think it's made with fresh high quality cuts of meat and ingredients that literally simmer to perfection for days before going into your bowl. The quantity of food you get is enormous and the prices are more than reasonable. Sometimes the wait staff can be standoffish, that's my only negative thought should you force me to give one... but usually they're pleasant enough. The place is pretty clean if you decide to eat there... the ornaments and environment is a bit tacky but nothing too bad, about par for any similar genre... but the food... my goodness the food... once you smell it and put it in your mouth... it's like a commercial where you're temporarily taken out of your body and your spirit is transported somewhere amazing... not really... but it's damn good stuff and I would recommend you try it if you ever...